Bioabsorbable interference bone fixation screw
AssigneeLinvatec Corporation
InventorsRandall D. Ross, Kevin J. Bassetti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interference bone fixation screw fabricated from bioabsorbable material includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end and a screw thread disposed therealong from the proximal end to the distal end. A drive recess is formed in the body to extend longitudinally from the proximal end toward the distal end for receiving a rotatable driver. The drive recess defines a plurality of radial force receiving surfaces for receiving concentric forces from the driver applied perpendicularly to the force receiving surfaces.
Claims31
An interference bone fixation screw to be rotated by a driver comprising
- a body having a proximal end, a distal end, a length between said proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis;
- thread means for engaging bone disposed on said body from said proximal end to said distal end;
- and
- drive recess means disposed in said proximal end of said body including a plurality of equally spaced lobe openings having force receiving surfaces in radial alignment with said longitudinal axis for receiving rotational forces from the driver, said force receiving surfaces extending longitudinally within said body along a substantial portion of said length,
- said interference bone fixation screw being made of bioabsorbable material in its entirety.
An interference bone fixation screw to be rotated by a driver comprising
- a cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end, a length between said proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis;
- a screw thread disposed on said body to extend longitudinally therealong;
- and
- drive recess means disposed in said proximal end of said body including a plurality of equally spaced lobe openings extending longitudinally within said body along a substantial portion of said length,
- said lobe openings having outer ends disposed a first radial distance from said longitudinal axis and inner ends disposed a second radial distance from said longitudinal axis less than said first radial distance,
- said lobe openings tapering inwardly from said outer ends to said inner ends to define planar force receiving walls between said outer ends and said inner ends for receiving rotational forces from the driver,
- said interference bone fixation screw being made entirely of bioabsorbable material.
An interference bone fixation screw to be rotated by a driver comprising
- a cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end a length between said proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis;
- a screw thread disposed on said body to extend longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end;
- and
- a drive recess in said proximal end of said body for matingly receiving the driver including a plurality of equally spaced lobe openings extending longitudinally within said body along a substantial portion of said length,
- each of said lob openings being defined by a pair of spaced side walls extending radially outwardly with respect to said longitudinal axis for receiving rotational forces from the driver applied perpendicular to said side walls,
- said interference bone fixation screw being made of bioabsorbable material in its entirety.
In combination, an interference bone fixation screw comprising a cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, thread means disposed on said body for engaging bone and drive recess means in said proximal end of said body including a cylindrical cavity disposed concentrically in said body and extending along a length thereof and a plurality of lobe openings disposed around said cavity in communication therewith along the length thereof, each of said lobe openings being defined by force receiving walls extending radially outwardly from said cavity, said force receiving surfaces extending longitudinally within said body along a substantial portion of said length said interference bone fixation screw being fabricated entirely of bioabsorbable material;
- and
- a driver for rotating said screw and having a configuration mating with said drive recess means, said driver including cylindrical shaft means for being received in said cavity and a plurality of lobe means having force transmitting walls extending radially outwardly from said shaft means for applying forces to said force receiving walls when said driver is rotated.
A driver for rotating a bioabsorbable bone screw having a body with a proximal end and a drive recess extending longitudinally within a substantial length of the body, said driver comprising a cylindrical shaft and a plurality of lobes extending from said shaft along a substantial length thereof, each of said lobes carrying radially oriented, spaced, planar side walls which diverge outwardly from the axis of said shaft and are joined by an arcuate outer wall forming part of a cylinder concentric with said shaft for engaging walls of the drive recess of the screw whereby said driver engages the screw along a substantial length of the screw body for rotating the screw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.